Lord's Day 31a Q83 The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven in General Rev. Herman Hoeksema Q.83. What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? A. The preaching of the holy gospel, and Christian discipline, or excommunication out of the Christian church; by these two, the kingdom of heaven is opened to believers, and shut against unbelievers. Introduction The distinguishing marks by which we know in this world the true church from the false church are strictly speaking only two, namely, the pure preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments according to the ordinances of God. Wherever you find the pure preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments according to the ordinances of God, there you find the true church. And we may speak relatively, that the more pure the word is preached, and the more strictly the sacraments are administered, the more pure the church will be. And it is the calling of every Christian not to ask where is the best orthodox church, but where is the purest manifestation of the church of Jesus Christ. And when he has found it, it is his calling to leave all others and join that church. These are the distinguishing marks of the church; but there is another feature by which the church also may be known, and is therefore sometimes called a third distinguishing mark, namely, the proper use of the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Strictly speaking this is not in itself a distinguishing mark, except that the former two cannot exist long without these keys of the kingdom. The subject of Christian discipline, or the keys of the kingdom of heaven, is of wide scope, and of great importance both from a doctrinal and a practical point of view. This is evident from its manifestation in the actual life of many a Christian when discipline is exercised. It is very little understood, but if the church is not to throw the keys away, it must understand what is implied in them, how they must be employed and to what end they are to be employed. For, if the keys of the kingdom are not employed with spiritual intelligence, it will not be long before we will become like any other modern church about us in which they are no longer employed. To them the subject of church discipline and of the keys of the kingdom of heaven is a strange subject; and it is no wonder. In modern churches a church is an open building in which one can go in and out as he pleases; and what is the use of keys if the doors are thrown open and the building is never shut. But all people do not belong in the kingdom where the preaching of the word has become a general invitation to all to enter into the kingdom the church soon becomes corrupt. All do not belong into it. God has shut His kingdom to some. We do not have to shut the kingdom; God has done so. And they to whom God has shut the kingdom may not even enter into its visible form. The church must open, but it must also close the door. And for that it must use the keys. The time will come when the gates will be open; but that will be in eternity. In this world the church must use the keys. But not only for this negative reason, but also for reasons in our midst, it is necessary to call attention to the keys of the kingdom of heaven. When we make confession of faith, we promise to submit to church discipline in case we fall into sin. And yet how often does it not occur that as soon as discipline is applied, the one to whom it is applied breaks that promise and withdraws his membership to escape church discipline. But he who does so, only escapes to his own destruction. That is why it is necessary to discuss this subject of the keys of the kingdom of heaven somewhat at length. And so this morning we call your attention to the keys of the kingdom of heaven only in general. 165
Theme: The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven in General 1. The Idea 1. The Idea of the Keys 2. The Guardians or Holders of the Keys 3. The Purpose of the Keys The idea of the keys of the kingdom of heaven is a thoroughly Scriptural one. We notice from Matthew 16:18, that the church is pictured as a fortress, a city, a building. It is pictured as a building founded as my church. The church, therefore, from the point of view of the keys, is conceived of as a fortress, a building, founded upon a firm foundation. That foundation is not Peter as the Catholic Church would have it nor does the Lord say, Thou art Peter, and upon thee will I build my church. Neither is it the subjective faith of Peter, as some would have it; the church could not be built on the subjective faith of Peter. But the Lord means to say, Thou art Peter that is, a rock, as has become manifest in your confession and upon this rock I will build my church. In other words, Christ pictures the church as a building whose foundation is expressed in the confession of Peter. Wherever the church is built on that foundation, laid by the prophet and apostles, there you have the church. And wherever there is that which claims to be the church, and is not built on that foundation, there is not the church. In the second place, notice that in these words of Jesus the church is presented in the midst of the world as being a strong city, a fortress; for Jesus says, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. By the gates of hell is meant, that which proceeds from the gates of hell, that which is of darkness, the power of death. The church is built on a rock that is firm, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. In the third place, notice from the same passage in Matthew 16, that the church and the kingdom of heaven are closely related. Christ says, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. It is plain that the church and the kingdom of heaven are closely related. There is a difference. The church is the communion of saints, with Christ at the head. And the kingdom of heaven is that commonwealth in which Christ is Lord, of which God is king, and in which the believers are the subjects and recipients of all the blessings God bestows upon them. All the blessings God bestows upon His people are included in that kingdom, and also in its final manifestation. That kingdom includes both heaven and earth. There is a difference, however, even though the two are also closely related. The members of the church I mean the church, of course, as the body of the Christ are at the same time the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, so that, if you are not a member of the church, you are not a citizen of the kingdom of heaven; and, if you are excluded from the church, you are also excluded from the kingdom of heaven. Now Scripture and the catechism speak of the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Keys, of course, is figurative. Scripture uses figurative language when it speaks of the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The key is a symbol of the opening and shutting of the kingdom of heaven. It must be used to open the kingdom of heaven in a twofold sense. It must open the kingdom to take in and to throw out. And so also it must be used to shut the door in a twofold sense. It must be used to keep in and keep out. That is the meaning also of binding and loosing of which Jesus speaks in Matthew 18:18. We read there, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven. This is the binding and loosing of what goes through the door, whether it be a binding to keep in or keep out, or whether it be a loosing to admit or to cast out. Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound on heave: and whatsoever ye 166
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Thus we come to this conclusion. The idea of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, of Christian discipline, is a power in the sense of ability and of authority, in the sense of the right and the obligation conferred by Christ to determine what (not in the first place who) shall have, and what shall not have a place inside the walls of the church that is built on a rock and that in such a way that whosoever executes that power and authority and obligation determines who shall have a place, and who shall not have a place in the kingdom of heaven. That is the key power. 2. The Guardians or Holders This key power is bestowed by Christ. But on whom? There is in essence, in the first place, centrally only one that has the keys of the kingdom of heaven that is, centrally. There is only one that has the power, the authority and the calling to use the keys. He is, according to Revelations 3:7, Christ. We read there, These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth. As Christ has the keys, as He has the power and the authority and the calling to use the keys, it means that He, as the Son of God, and as the anointed Christ over the whole house of God, He has in Himself the power, authority and calling exactly to determine who shall have a place in the church and in the kingdom of heaven. But that is not everything. Christ determines what shall and what shall not enter. And even more, Christ not only has the power to determine what shall enter and what shall not, but He also has the power to bestow the spiritual character which is necessary to enter. He also determines who shall enter, and He determines what shall enter. And he also has the power to bestow the spiritual character necessary and determines for those who shall enter. God is merciful to whom He will be merciful and hardeneth whom He will harden; and He appointed Christ as the Head of His church. And so, as the Head of His church, Christ determines who shall have a place in that church, and who shall not. And there is still more. Christ also conferred the power to employ the keys on the apostles and not on Peter alone, as the Roman Catholics would have it. For although it is true that the Lord, in Matthew 16 in addressing Peter speaks in the singular, it is evident that He addresses Peter because it was Peter that made the confession. But the Lord, although addressing Peter, is addressing all the apostles in Peter. This is evident from Matthew 18, where Jesus says, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Christ bestows the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven upon all the apostles. And with the apostles also it is an authority s power and obligation to determine who shall have a place in the church, and in the kingdom of heaven, and who shall not have a place therein. That the apostles had that power is evident. The Lord bestows that power on them. That they have that power is due to the fact that they receive the Spirit infallibly. Infallible inspiration gave the apostles the power to infallibly determine who shall have a place in the kingdom of heaven, and who shall not. That is the apostolic word. It is Christ that employs the keys of the kingdom of heaven, but through the apostle and through the Spirit. They determine who and what shall have a place in the kingdom of heaven. When they determine what shall have a place in the kingdom of heaven, they naturally determine who shall have a place in that kingdom. When they determine that repentance, sorrow for sin, humiliation and righteousness shall have a place in the kingdom, they at the same time determine that they who do not repent, are not sorry for sin, do not humble themselves and are righteous shall not have a place in that kingdom. That is the power of the apostles. We must not forget that. And so, in the third place, that power is also bestowed on the church. It is important that we see that. The keys are not given to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. They are not given to missions and sects, and 167
street-corner preachers. The keys are given to the church. This is true in the preaching of the word. The preaching of the word must be an employment of the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Otherwise it is not preaching, but merely a talk. Preaching of the word must be the employment of the keys. That is even true in mission work. Mission work must be an employment of the keys. Otherwise it is no mission work, but merely a talk. Preaching of the word must be employment of the keys. And so, in the third place, we must understand that the keys are given to the church. This is evident from Matthew 18:17, where Jesus says, And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church. Now that church is not Peter. For the Lord is not speaking to Peter. Neither is it the apostles. The apostles are not the church. But the church is the entire New Testament body of Christ, from the time of its founding by the apostles, until the coming of Christ. When the Bible speaks of the church it means the whole church as it was founded by the apostles. And therefore when the apostles die, that same key power was given to the church, but as it was founded by the apostles. And that church must employ the keys now, through its offices. The apostles died; but the Lord gave to the church, not only apostles and evangelists and teachers, in order that there might be a well ordered whole. He also gave to the church elders and deacons. The church is not a mission station. The church is the instituted body of Christ, functioning through its offices. Tell it to the church, then. That is, tell it to the church as it functions through its offices. That is the key power of the church and that again so that the church may have the power and authority and obligation to determine who and what shall have a place in the kingdom of heaven. Only remember that Christ is the holder of the keys. He is the holder, even when they are employed through the church. Christ employs them in the apostles, through infallible inspiration. We do not have that in the church; but the church has the power to determine what and who shall have a place in the kingdom through the word of the apostles. The church stands on the foundation of the apostles, of which Jesus is the chief cornerstone. Unto that church is given the word of the apostles. That word is not given to all. That leads to the silly sickening condition that you see all around you. Christ has not just given the keys to anyone. The keys are given to the church. And as the church, it must employ the keys. It is dangerous business if instead of the church every Tom, Dick, and Harry try to handle the keys and to determine what and who shall have a place in the kingdom. That simply leads to the sickening condition that you find all around you, in missions and street-corner preaching. That is why the church must handle the keys. She must keep them. And she must employ them faithfully. 3. The Purpose And the purpose is threefold. The purpose is, in the first place, the glory of the ever-blessed God. The question of the church is not, how many members she may have on her books; but the question of the church is a question of the glory of God. Where two or three are gathered in My name, says Jesus, there am I in the midst of them. He had just said in Matthew 18:19, If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. That is the church. The church must be holy, and unblamable in its manifestation, for the purpose of the keys of the kingdom of heaven is the glory of God. The second purpose of the keys is the well being of the church. The wrath of God comes over the church if it is allowed to become a mob, a crowd of believers and unbelievers. If you allow just anyone to become a member of the church, it is not long before the church is gone. He that is not with us is against us; and they must stay out for the well being of the church. And finally, the purpose is the salvation even of them that are the objects of the discipline of the 168
church. The purpose of church discipline is the salvation of God s people, including him that is the object of discipline. And therefore the church must exercise the key power, both in the preaching of the word, and in discipline. And a Christian must submit to that discipline. I admit, it is possible that we have hasty discipline. It is possible for one to say, The whole church is wrong, and I alone am right. I admit that that is possible, but it is not probable. If in the church the legal body handles the key power, it is possible that that the church is wrong, and that he alone is right, but it is very improbable. But even if that is the case, even if in his heart one is convinced that the church is wrong and he alone is right, he must not resign his membership. To resign for one s membership is profane. But even if he knows it alone, he must submit to the end. He must submit even to excommunication. And in the midst of that discipline he must maintain, I know it alone. And then God will bless him, and curse the church. Once more, I admit the possibility, but it is very improbable that the whole church should be wrong, and that the one alone should be right. And the church must employ the keys faithfully, and determine who shall have a place in the church, and in the kingdom of heaven. The church has the key power, and with that key power it may put out who are in, and take in who are out. It may shut in who are in, and it may shut out who are out. And the church so keeping her gates, will flourish. And instead of forming a mob that has nothing to do with the church, she will be a well-founded Zion, founded on the confession of Peter: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 169